Circling the Leaning Tower of Pisa

The 'Leaning Tower of Pisa' is not the only architectural marvel that enchants visitors towards the city of Pisa. Instead, it has an entire square of monumental magnificence.

Tuscany probably has some of the best architecture in the whole of Italy, particularly in Florence and Pisa. And that is saying something, considering the country is choc-a-block with eye-popping buildings!

With that exhilarating thought buzzing in our heads, we set out from Rome one fine morning to drive through the lush green countryside of Tuscany, destination Pisa, a city of architectural marvels if there ever was one. It was a scenic drive that took us past vineyards that produce some of Italy's finest wines.

Contrary to popular belief, Pisa is not only about the 'leaning tower'! There are many more awesome architectural wonders in the city, which, frankly speaking, I felt, was a little out of place. The first impression of the city rather like a small Indian town. Not-so-clean roads, potholes, unplanned houses popping up everywhere and miles of unattended green fields.

But suddenly, out of the blue arrives Piazza Dei Miracoli. Justifiably considered one of the loveliest squares in the world, it kind of looked totally out of place in the little town. The square had all the fascinating architectural wonders of Pisa in it. Too much, maybe, for such a tiny area! The leaning tower, the baptistry, the cathedral and the cemetery and even two unique museums.

Piazza Del Miracoli certainly looked like a tourist hotspot. It was positively teeming with youngsters, all equipped with digicams, chirping their way to the tower. One side of the main road was lined by stalls selling souvenirs. The first structure in the square, however, was the baptistry. Huge, beautiful and full of wonderful carvings, it had two distinct patterns as it was built and then remodeled by different architects for almost three centuries. The result was a hotchpotch (albeit a grandiose one) of Roman, Pisan and Gothic styles.

The next building was the cathedral, and in between was the cemetery or camposanto., which means 'holy-field.' It was so called because the building is believed to be constructed with sacred soil from Jerusalem that was brought in by the archbishop of Pisa in the 12th century. It contains a huge collection of Roman sarcophagi and some walls still have some ancient frescoes left, the most striking one being the 'Triumph of Death.' The cathedral of Pisa is perhaps the prettiest in Tuscany. Inside, green and cream marble adorns the interior, with some superb stained glass windows, perched high on the walls. Diffused sun rays stream through those windows, imbuing the interior with a heavenly aura.

The interior is also replete with columns, pillars and bronze doors. If St Peter's in Rome had Michelangelo, Pisa Cathedral had Giovanni Pisano and his masterwork on the pulpit. The most amazing thing in the cathedral was the mosaic of Christ in Majesty, high above the altar. Visitors can see it clearly even from a distance.

The last and the most unusual structure in the square was, naturally the Leaning Tower. It was supposed to be the bell tower for the cathedral but started to lean when it was only three tiers. Whatever the reason for its tilt, it looked wonderful! So, did we climb up the tower? No, because it needed advance booking!

Beyond the lawn were two very special museums - Museo delle Sinopie, which had an unusual collection of brown sketches on the walls, used as outlines for the glorious frescoes in the rest of the buildings. These 'Sinopie' are the best ways to learn how a fresco is created.

The other, Museo Dell' Opera Del Duomo, had a wonderful collection of artwork from the Cathedral, the tower and the baptistry. Once we had our fill of the attractions of the Square, like good tourists we went around the stalls to scout around for mementoes. Then we realized we had spent quite a few hours there and it was time to return to Rome...The good part, of course, was that three-hour drive to the Eternal City took us through the lovely Tuscan countryside again.

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Circling the Leaning Tower of Pisa

The 'Leaning Tower of Pisa' is not the only architectural marvel that enchants visitors towards the city of Pisa. Instead, it has an entire square of monumental magnificence.